Improvement in station-indicators



C. M. SEXTON.

STATION INDICATOR.

No. 178.968. Patented June 20,1876.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES M. SEXTON, AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AN ORLANDO O. WORMWOOD, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN STATION-INDICATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. P783968, dated June 20, 1876; application filed March 25, 1876. g

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES M. SEXToN, of Aurora, in the county ofKane and'State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Station-Indicator, of which the following is a specification In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a front view of my station-indicator, with part broken off to show interior construction; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse sec-' tion of the same on line 0 c, Fig. l; and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the station indicating boards or cards. 7

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. 1

My invention has reference to an improved station-indicator, of simple and reliable construction; and it consists of a polygonal roller, that. carries the slotted name-boards on raised ribs or lugs near the ends. The lugs and slots of the boards are alternately set at greater or less distance from the ends of the roller to take up the boards in regular man ner. The roller is revolved by a loose pulley and pawl, actuated by a connecting-band and spring.

In the drawing, A represents the inclosing frame or casing of my improved station-indicator, which is provided with a hinged front door, having a recess or window of suitable size, through which the name of the station may be clearlyseeu.

A polygonal roller, B, turns in suitable bearings of casing A, and carries on its sides or faces the name-boards or cards 0, which are fed to the roller from the top part of the same, the cards resting in feeding, partly on the roller, and partly on a bracket-shaped shoulder, a, at the rear part ofcasing A. A guard-plate, D, in 'front of the name-boards, and close to the roller, prevents the carrying forward and dropping of the boards, which are fed in regular connective order to the roller, by means of ribs or lugs b near the ends, which enter corresponding slots 12 of the name-boards, and transfer thereby the boards to the sides of the roller. The lugs b of one side or face of the roller are arranged at greater distance from the roller ends than those of the adjoining sides, to alternate thus on all the sides of the roller. The slots of the name-boards are out at the same distance to correspond to the alternating ribs, and

the boards are arranged in such order that each side of the roller takes up the corresponding board fitting thereon.

This arrangement of lugs and slots of roller and boards secures the regular forward feeding of one board at the time, and also the reliable working of the indicator.

When the name-board is carried by the forward motion of the roller past the front window, it is dropped from the roller, and slid along an inclined guide-shoulder, d, to thespringpawl, e, a ratchet of the roller, and

moving thereby the roller forward for one tooth or station at each pull of the strap. The spring carries the pulley and pawl back to engage thenext tooth.

A stop-pin, f, of the casing engages a stop, f, of the pulley, so as to define the exact forward motion of the roller for the regular and reliable working of the indicator.

I am aware that polygonal rollers and in dependent name-plates, adapted to be taken up by the rollers in connective order, have been employed in station-indicators; but in no instance are the rollers provided with lugs, and the plates with slots, arranged at alternately greater or less distance from the ends, thereby enabling the name-plates to be taken up, .one at a time, which would not be the case if the lugs and slots were not so arranged. Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The combination, in a station-indicator, of the polygonal roller B, having lugs b,arranged as shown, with the independent name-plates 0, having slots 1), all constructed and relatively arranged as herein shown, to operatein the manner set forth.

7 CHARLES M. SEXTON.

Witnesses:

N. F. NIcHoLs, R. R.- ScoTT. 

